Shashi Tharoor shared a heartwarming Vande Bharat encounter with 16-year-old AI enthusiast Raul John Aju, praising his work on voice-processing systems in Indian languages. Calling the conversation “rarely this illuminating,” Tharoor said such talent gives him hope for the nation’s future, adding that young innovators like Raul will shape India’s 21st-century growth journey.

Sometimes the most unforgettable conversations happen in the most ordinary places, like on a train journey. Author and Congress MP Shashi Tharoor recently had one such encounter aboard a Vande Bharat Express, and the story has quickly resonated across social media.

Tharoor shared that he struck up a conversation with 16-year-old Raul John Aju, a young innovator working passionately in artificial intelligence. Their exchange, he admitted, was far from casual small talk.

'Witnessing such ingenuity and drive in our youth gives me immense hope'

"Encounters on the Vande Bharat are often pleasant, but rarely this illuminating!" he wrote on X (formerly Twitter) further writing, "I had the pleasure of meeting Raul John Aju, a 16-year-old tech whiz who is doing incredible work in the field of Artificial Intelligence. We spoke about the necessity for AI to transcend borders and, crucially, to speak the vernacular of our diverse land."

Check out the tweet below:

What impressed Tharoor even more was the scale of work already underway. Raul and his team, including a friend named Ishaan, are developing voice-processing systems in Malayalam, Hindi and Urdu, a step toward making technology more accessible for millions.

Sashi concluded by saying, "​Witnessing such ingenuity and drive in our youth gives me immense hope for India’s technological future. ​Wishing Raul and his team every success. It is young minds like his that will define India's 21st-century growth story."

Netizens react

Online users applauded both the teenager's clarity and Tharoor's encouragement, calling it a moment that perfectly captures where India's tech future may be headed.

One commented, "The confidence of the boy is on the next level. Great to see young talent doing great stuff." "This is how India moves forward – when our youth use technology to solve local problems. It’s good to see you supporting young talent!" stated another.

A third user expressed, "What a lovely moment to stumble upon. Meeting a 16 year old building AI for Indian languages feels inspiring. Young minds like Raul show technology can serve real people. Our future looks bright ahead."